This Alternate ‘Dark Knight’ Theory Makes The Case For A Wildly Misconstrued And Heroic Joker

Batman movies continue to rage forward, but The Dark Knight still reserves space in the minds of comic book fans. Much of the allure of this Christopher Nolan film comes down to the mystique of Heath Ledger, whose own chilling journal recently resurfaced to provide a glimpse on Ledger’s state of mind while playing the Joker. Ledger’s portrayal was so compelling that one almost feels sorry for Jared Leto, who will stop short at nothing to “method” up his performance in Suicide Squad and scare the bejesus out of everyone (even his fellow actors).

We won’t know Leto’s level of success for a good year, but in the meantime, we can puzzle over a new alternate theory about Ledger’s Joker. An intricate (and viral) explanation from Reddit user GeneralZee makes the case that The Dark Knight‘s Joker is a misconstrued fellow and undercover hero. Here’s how the theory begins:

Joker, although a lying psychopath, is actually the hero in The Dark Knight. Before the Joker, Gotham was a mess. Entire sections of the city were closed off due to madness, organized crime ran rampant, and the majority of important city officials were wildly corrupt. The city even tolerated a renegade vigilante who ran around wearing a rubber suit (Okay, special armor and carbon fiber, but they don’t know that).

Along comes the Joker and by the end of a very short time, almost all organized crime was eliminated, many corrupt officials were imprisoned or dead, and the city’s Vigilante even went into hiding for 8 years. This was all part of Joker’s masterfully executed plan.